Good, Bad and Indifferent. A novel

Chapter I

Seeing that she remained silent, Quick thought it best to commence, and repeated — "As I have already informed you, madam, I am desirous of learning something of the Reverend Richard Hackler, who I presume is deceased." " Well, sir, I knew him," was her laconic remark. " This is, indeed, a fortunate day for me, madam, in more ways than one," Quick replied, bowing to her ; " may I venture to VOL. III. B ask if I am correct in supposing the reverend gentleman not to be still living? " " He was sepultured many years ago," she answered, with tragic accent. " Then I presume his school was broken up on his demise ? " said Quick, humouring her style of diction. " No, sir, the conduct of it was assumed by his son, the Reverend Charles Hackler." " Then I may assume that the locality of his school must be elsewhere ; as I opine, madam, that the curriculum of your college does not include that for young gentlemen ?

" " Certainly it does not. No boy or man passes the gateway you have just entered by, unless some chance member of your sex, such as yourself, sir. Every particular con nected with the college is conducted by my sex." " Then I may consider my presumption that the locality of the Reverend Charles Hackler's school was elsewhere is correct ? " " No, sir; it was here." " Then, madam, I must confess I am puzzled to account for its collapse." " Yes, sir, you speak correctly in saying collapse. The school for young gentlemen, conducted by the Reverend Charles Hackler, collapsed," which announcement was deli vered with slow, measured accents, whilst her voice dropped word by word, till it became a mere whisper ; and her eyes dilated as if the death by accident of some revered friend was being described.

" That school collapsed, and in its stead there sprang up the institution now existing." Her glance was now triumphant. " Perhaps the Reverend Charles followed his illustrious progenitor to the tomb ? " asked Quick, equally tragically. " No, sir, he did not. He is preaching the Gospel to the Red Indians. To that worthy pursuit he adds that of cattle rearing." " Then I perceive that he is still living, but assisting to civilise the Red Indians of the Northern Continent of America, I conclude ? " " Why, certainly, yes, sir ; there are no other Red Indians, except there, that I am aware of. The Maoris of New Zealand may approach them in colour ; but they are, of course, a specific and quite distinct race." "The Reverend Charles felt, doubtless, from his early training peculiarly adapted to dealing with Red Indians."

" Yes, sir, that assuredly was one reason he relinquished the conduct of the very highly spoken of institution, the management of which devolved on him on his father's demise. But he also felt unequal, in some ways, to doing so much justice to its inmates as that grand character, his father, was able to accom plish for them, and this reason had as much to do with his surrendering the attempt as had the former." " The Reverend Richard has apparently left a truly worthy name behind him." " He has, sir; and I glow with enthusiasm when I think of the many supposed incurables who, having passed through his hands, left this, their abode, reformed in mind and body. If any one thing could reconcile me to be a member of your sex, sir, it would be the hope of proving myself like unto my father." " Your sentiments do you as much honour, madam, as they do your respected parent now deceased.

But I had not the honour till now of knowing that I sat in the presence of a daughter of that noble divine." " Ah ! true, sir ; overcome by the emotion raised by his memory, I had forgotten to convey that fact to you." " Your reverend father had, madam, to deal, I judge, with all manner of boys and youths." " He had, indeed, sir; and many were the attempts made to escape from the toils. You have, doubtless, observed the surroundings of this collegiate institution." " Yes, madam, I have. They are truly awe-inspiring, especially when one notes that the place is now devoted to the gentler sex." A snort from the Lady Principal warned him he was treading on dangerous ground, so he smartly added, " I should doubt any boy or man being able to over come them." " And yet, sir, at times, to my poor father's sorrow, those obstacles were surmounted ; so much so that, after a recurrence of this twice in one term, he was on the point of cutting down the belt of timber which forms such an attractive feature of the premises.

But he happily bethought him of procuring a few bloodhounds to let loose in it at night, and this obviated such a sacrifice." " How noble ! how magnanimous ! " murmured Quick. " Even after these hounds were introduced one young man escaped by administering poisoned meat to the poor brutes, which were kept on low diet for better efficiency, and were, therefore, ravenous for food." " How abandoned ! how cruel ! What a confirmed young ruffian he must have been !" " You may well remark so, sir. The hours my poor father spent in flogging that youth must have materially shortened his life." " What might the youth's name have been, madam ? " Quick interpolated, hoping the name might be Gibbon. " That I cannot say ; though both his name and his descriptive marks, as well as the date and hour of his arrival at the school and the regrettable record of those of his escape, were all registered in the volume kept by my father for this purpose."

" A truly wonderful plan that must have been, madam, for ensuring the detection of such truants," ejaculated Quick, thinking that at last he had struck upon something valuable, and desirous of testing the point further. " It was, sir. Each inmate, ere he was received into the bosom, if I may so call it, of the school, was divested of his clothing, and each particular mark, however faint it might be, was recorded in that volume." " Such care should have frustrated all possibility of escaping, I should have con sidered." " So you might, sir, so you might ; but as many of the most distinctive marks of the human frame are not necessarily borne on the visage, and as the public is too supine to search the hidden mysteries of the body, youths, of whom the record was complete and plain, did occasionally escape and baffle de tection."

" How lamentable ! But surely such a record of painstaking forethought cannot have been destroyed on the Reverend Charles re linquishing his worthy predecessor's vocation. Probably it has been lodged in the library of the British Museum." Quick, though he spoke with covert flippancy, was on tenterhooks whilst he awaited the answer. " No, sir. Though it was well worthy of heing so disposed of, the Reverend Charles, my brother, insisted on carrying it with him to the Indian frontier. He remarked, when doing this, that it might prove of utility to him should he, in that free and glorious country, desire to institute a somewhat similar enterprise." " I have heard, madam, that the Red Indians are a cruel and treacherous race. It were well, therefore, that they knew not the value of the volume the Reverend Charles carried with him.

But I fear that I have already trespassed too much on your valuable time. I have been, indeed, gratified to learn so much of that remarkable man, your father." " Pray do not mention it, sir. If you knew the intense gratification which accrues to me when discoursing of him, you would the rather experience the pleasure your coming has occasioned me. And now permit me to escort you to the gate." " Nay, madam ; I would fain spare you so much trouble." " No trouble, sir. It is my duty to escort each one of your sex who crosses the rubicon past it again." As she led him from the room and across the space to the gateway, Quick Recollected that he had failed to extract from her if she remembered anything herself of the boys of her father's school. He, therefore, remarked now — " I presume, madam, that in your father's lifetime you could seldom enjoy the beauties of these grounds owing to his pupils' disposi tions ?

" " Sir, " she austerely replied, " you must have been misled by some chance remark of mine to ask this question. None of my sex passed that gateway in his day any more than do any of yours at this period, except as I have already explained. My father's private residence was in the town. I never entered these walls till my brother closed the institu tion." Quick said no more. The young ladies had been released from their studies by this time, and, as the Lady Principal now con ducted him through the crowd of girls and young women, he had the opportunity of observing how they passed their leisure. Some were walking about arm in arm, or with arms twined round each other's necks. Others were engaged playing rounders, but the generality were occupied with football. Quick thought to himself that perhaps it was as well his sex were so religiously ex cluded, as the " get-up " of the girls playing the latter was well calculated to display their charms ; and some of the players were very beautiful, he considered.

A tight-fitting jersey and a kilt, ending in striped hose, similar in colour to the jersey, made a bewitching costume for these young creatures, whose faces were flushed with the glow of health and exercise. The Lady Principal, following the direction of his gaze, remarked — - " Yes, my students require development of body " (" Not all of them," soliloquised Quick to himself, as he viewed the benefi cence of nature to many of them) " as well as of mind. In the summer they play cricket, but this is their football season. The game with them is, as you will doubtless perceive, essentially one for the feet, though no such brutality as tacking is permitted, nor is touch ing the ball with the hands, nor laying hand on one another. Nothing but the foot is applied to the ball, and it is remarkable the dexterity the students thus acquire.

They have a gymnasium too, which is within doors, so that they may make use of it in all weathers, and I regret that you, sir, who appear so in terested in scholastic matters, should not have witnessed some of my students vault over the horse." Quick's hitherto repressed feelings were rapidly rising, and he feared that he would barely be able to control his countenance till he was clear of the place. To this remark by the Lady Principal he could only respond with an indistinct mumble, which he partially covered by pretending to use his handkerchief. At the gateway he pulled himself together again, and doffing his hat to her, bade her farewell. She offered him her hand, and when he released it he found his contained her card. " Mrs. Theophilus Gubbins, Lady Principal and Proprietress of the College for Young Ladies," was what he saw printed upon it.

Quick then recollected that he had omitted to learn her name. " Married, by Jove, notwithstanding her sex ! I wonder where she keeps Gubbins and the young Gubbinses, if there are any." As he drove off, he astonished the groom with his boisterous laughter. But the man was well pleased when Quick slipped five shillings into his hand on returning to the hotel ; and though Quick said nothing, the groom understood that his hint had produced a good result. Quick at once packed up his traps and returned to report to Mr. Jones, who ex pressed himself much pleased with the result attained. He saw at once that, if they could only unearth the Reverend Charles and this volume, it would be possible from the latter alone to establish the identity of Mr. Gibbon past doubt. He knew that every soldier who enters the army is fully examined and accu rately described on his enlistment documents, so that the marks thus recorded could be compared with those noted by the Reverend Charles' father.

Besides this, of course a medical examination, however unpleasant it might be, would, in conjunction with this book, and Oswald the groom, prove too much for Lady Charlotte Manners. The only diffi culty would be to find those men they wanted. " Very good, Mr. Quick," he said to the clerk ; " I am much gratified by your success, and I compliment you on going through your interview with Mrs. Gubbins without disclosing to her the object of your visit. The five shillings spent on the groom was merely a suitable remuneration for the very valuable hint he gave you, and for the equally valuable hours' further inquiry he thus spared you. We must now endeavour to trace the Reverend Charles Hackler, and though America, even confining ourselves to the North, is a large place, remember, Mr. Quick, that there is no truer saying than that the world is a small place.

Ascertain the most suitable American papers, and then insert this notice in them. Note it down, please: — " ' Should this meet the eye of the Reverend Charles Hackler, son of the Reverend Richard Hackler, formerly of Crumworth, Crumshire, England, he is requested to communicate with H. Palmerston Jones, Esq., Solicitor, The Dingle, Wyecombe, England.' " We must also institute inquiries now about Oswald Craig, the groom," he con tinued, " and then rest on our oars for the present. I must write the result of the case up to date to Mr. Gibbon, and I shall show you what I say before despatching it."

Chapter II

Early in November Manners reached Eng land. He did not see Jenny again after the evening when he asked her to be his wife. His feeling had been the same as hers, that it would be very unpleasant for them both to meet, as he was debarred from speaking to her. He had, therefore, packed up his traps and gone back to the plains, there to await his passage home. When he wrote to her before leaving Capua, he asked for some memento ; but she maintained her silence, and made no response. However, he detected a photo- VOL. ill. C graph of her as " Di Vernon " in a shop, and after a long argument with the proprietor, the latter let him have it. This was the only emblem he carried wdth him to remind him of her ; not that he required it to recall the sweet vision which was constantly with him in spirit, but that it did him good to refresh his eyes with a glance when he willed at this sorry semblance of the features he loved so well.

He would have valued it more had it been given him by her, but that it portrayed her was sufficient to render it sacred in his eyes. When passing by Dreariabad he called in to see her father, half hoping to find that Jenny had arrived there ; but though he had a satisfactory enough interview with him, as Mr. Gibbon could not but admire the manly and straightforward character the young fellow displayed, Jenny he did not see. In cidentally, Mrs. Gibbon mentioned that her daughter had not returned to them yet. On arriving in England, being a free agent from not being in charge of any draft, Manners spent a few days in town to re plenish his kit and get such clothes as he required, and then started for Manners Park. His meeting with his mother was cordial enough, as Lady Charlotte hoped now that she had him once more in England that she would find means of keeping him at home ; and as she, moreover, flattered herself that his thus voluntarily returning from India was an acknowledgment that he had had enough of that country, she had purchased three nice hunters for him, and trusted that their influence might not be an unimportant factor in winning him back to the fold of home life.

If his meeting with Lady Charlotte can only be characterised as cordial, the joy which his cousin, Gertrude Lauderdale, displayed at seeing him again made amends for any lurking restraint between him and his mother. Gertrude had looked forward to his coming from the moment her aunt told her of it. She made all kinds of plans for the winter, but that dearest to her heart was one to induce Lady Charlotte to take a house for some months in a good hunting neighbourhood, where she and Digby might enjoy this, their favourite pastime, in common. " Let us wait, Gertrude," her aunt said, when the girl broached this plan to her, " till Digby returns. If he thinks as you do, I will do as you wish with pleasure." Lady Charlotte was nothing loath to hear of this project, and purposely left to Gertrude the breaking of it to Digby.

Coming from the latter, it would show him how in terested Gertrude was in his return ; and the discussing of it would offer opportunities for the renewal of the strong cousinly love which formerly existed between these young people. Gertrude said nothing of her scheme to her cousin at first. She thought he would be more likely to assent to it when he had ridden his horses and tasted once more the sensation of bestriding an English thorough bred. There were nothing but harriers in their neighbourhood she knew to her sorrow, but still a few gallops with them would serve her purpose no doubt. Manners, who was passionately fond of hunt ing, was much touched by his mother's kind forethought in providing him with three such likely animals ; and after he had ridden them and found that their looks did not belie their capabilities, he was still more grateful.

There was, of course, much for him to see about his future heritage that had been done since he left for India, five years previously. Lady Charlotte deputed the duty of show ing him everything to Gertrude, as she desired to throw them together as much as lay in her power, but always by as natural and unsus picious means as possible. Gertrude looked her best on horseback, and as she was as interested in the estate as Lady Charlotte herself, and knew every in and out of it, no more favourable mode of serving this purpose could be imagined than the thus deputing to her the doing the honours of it to him. Things went on thus for some ten days after Manners' return. He pronounced the hunters excellent, and appeared already to have forgotten that such a place as India existed ; and he had shown no disposition for books, thus leading his mother to conclude that he was tired of his Staff College fad.

The moment for broaching Gertrude's pro posal seemed at hand. Consequently, one evening during dinner, whilst he was dilating on the perfections of one of his three hunters in particular, which one he pronounced a " flyer," the occasion was snatched by Gertrude to open the hunt ing scheme to him. She did so, and Lady Charlotte was delighted to perceive that he appeared to fall in with it readily. His mother retired to rest that night better satisfied with the aspect affairs were taking than she had been for many years. Under the combined influences of the hunting field and the constant contact with his cousin, she permitted herself to hope that Digby would relinquish his half-formed plans, and sur render himself to his present surroundings. However, next morning, much to her mortifi cation, he announced that before finally giving his adhesion to the proposal he " must run up to town and consult Rutherford."

"Who may Mr. Rutherford be?" she asked, in chilly accents. " He's a man who has been strongly re commended to me to prepare me for the Staff College." " Why, Digby, I was in hopes that, as you have devoted no time to books since your return, you had given up this idea of yours about that college." " Oh, no ; I have not given it up. I have only been enjoying a little holiday out of compliment to you and Gertrude." " How long do you think you will have to be in town ? " " Not longer than a day or two, I hope. I shall run up this afternoon, and return the day after to-morrow, if I can." Gertrude remained silent during these re marks, but she was just as disappointed as Lady Charlotte at this sudden change of front on her cousin's part. The evening before he seemed to think of nothing more ambitious than the enjoyment of a good season's hunting.

This morning the old spirit was at work wnthin him, and his in fatuation about books and examinations had regained possession of him. " He used to be keen enough for hunting and everything of the kind," was her com ment to herself, as she thought bitterly of his apostasy, and sat crumbling her toast, ex ercising much self-restraint to prevent herself interfering in the brief discussion re corded. "And what if this wretched Mr. Rutherford tells him, as he is sure to do in his own interests, that he must get on with his studies at once ? Then farewell to all chance of any hunting this winter." However, she restrained herself, and said nothing, fearing that if she did whilst her aunt was present it might only serve to con firm him in his wilfulness. Breakfast was finished in more or less silence, till just before Lady Chailotte left the table Manners said to her in a casual way — " If you can spare me a few minutes be fore I leave I should like to speak to you."

" Certainly. If you come to the library in half an hour you will find me there," his mother said, as frigidly as she had spoken to him since he made the announcement which renewed her till now partially allayed disgust at his perversity. As soon as Lady Charlotte left, Gertrude attacked him. "Why, Digby, how changed you must be to think of work at this season," she said, reproachfully. " Perhaps I am, my sweet cousin," he lightly answered. " But if you have ever heard of the homely but eloquent saying, that life is not all beer and skittles, you will com prehend the exact spot I have arrived at. My beer and skittle days are over." " I don't know or care about beer and skittles," Gertrude replied, indignantly, with a feeling of mortified vanity ; for she had dreamt, till he said this, that her influence might dispel his illusions regarding the best mode of disposing of his time.

" But I should have said it was impossible for you to think of anything but hunting with three such animals ready for you in the stable." " Then, my fair Gerty, you pay yourself very scant compliment. How can I think of hunting when you are nigh me?" he asked with a smile, such as a good-natured man might grant to a child. " Oh, bosh, Digby ! " she said, angrily. " You know I always detest compliments, and all the more when I know them to be as un true as yours now is. You know you are only trying to turn me from the point." " Well, my cousin," he remarked, as he prepared to follow his mother, " you are about as complimentary to my veracity as you are to your own charms. I am sorry I cannot stay to convince you ; my august mother awaits me, and, as you know, punctuality is one of her vices," saying which he left her.

Gertrude, for all her denial, was secretly pleased with his compliment. She had always liked him, and the short time they had now been together again showed her that he had improved in many ways that com manded her admiration. He was a man now, whereas when he left England he was but a boy ; and he had developed all the quickness of eye for things, and promptitude, which she admired. Although her hunting project might be nipped in its bud by Mr. Rutherford's dictum, she could not but admire her cousin for keeping to his determination when she thought the matter over calmly. The army held as high a place in her esti mation as it did in his, and she longed for him to distinguish himself in it. But it was a sore trial to think of giving up the three months of supreme enjoyment she had planned for them both.

Chapter III

When Manners presented himself before his mother, he displayed a little embarrassment, which Lady Charlotte noticing, and having already arrived at the conclusion that what he wished to speak about must be money, in duced her to say — " Well, Digby, what is it? Don't hesitate to ask me if you want my assistance." " Certainly, I shall be glad of your as sistance," he replied with a smile, recovering his self-possession, " but perhaps you had better first hear what I have to say." "What is it then?" Lady Charlotte asked, relapsing into her coldness. " I am engaged," he answered laconically. " My dear Digby, you indeed surprise me. I did not think that matters had arrived at this point yet," his mother said genially. " Yes, I am engaged ; but unfortunately the young lady will not consent without your approval."

" Of course, Digby, you might have answered for me." " Not quite, I fancy. At least I had my doubts," he said significantly. " What a strange boy you are ! But you have always misunderstood me," Lady Charlotte answered with a sigh. " Really I cannot admit that the misunder standing has always been on my part," he remarked stiffly. " Digby, you cannot accuse me of having at any time been anything but what you call plain and above board." " Certainly you have always been quite so. What I mean is, that you never seem to view my life from my standpoint." " Perhaps not," Lady Charlotte admitted, resuming her impassive accents. " I must confess I have never been able to appreciate why you persisted in entering the army in preference to going to Oxford, as I wanted you to do. And I must also say that this idea of yours about the Staff College has puzzled me.

When I consented to let you go to Sandhurst, it was with the hope that a few years of the service would cure your love for it ; and that when your regiment went abroad, you would leave it, and then prepare for the political career I had planned for you." " I am no more fitted for political life," Manners answered with emphasis, " than I am prepared to sweep a crossing. I am particularly attached to the service, and though I am not silly enough to think that even if I do pass the College it will ensure me success, still I shall feel that I have done my best to deserve it." Lady Charlotte remained silent a few minutes, and then remarked — " After all Digby, what has this to do with what we commenced speaking about ?" " Nothing, except that I am afraid you misunderstand me in this instance also," he replied indignantly.

"How?" " First, did you not think I came to ask for money ? " " I did, and a very natural thought I con sider it." " And then you jumped to the conclusion that I referred to my cousin ? " " Most certainly. Whom else could I suppose you to refer to ? Gertrude is the only girl you have met since your return. Surely you cannot mean that you became engaged on ship-board ? " his mother asked, with horror depicted in her accent and expression. " No," he replied with a laugh, " not exactly on board a trooper. The life on board is not calculated to exhibit the gentler sex, saving your presence, mother, in its sw-eetest, best aspect." " Then what on earth do you mean, Digby ? Let us get to the root of this mystery at once, please." " Well I got engaged in India last September." Lady Charlotte gazed at him speechlessly, and then said in still more frigid tones than she had as yet adopted — " And you did not even think it necessary to write and announce the fact to me."

" Not quite that. There was a reason why I should not." " What might that reason be? I presume it must have disappeared, or you would not honour me by consulting me now." " I cannot say that it has disappeared, though I certainly hope it will.". VOL. HI. D " What was your reason for not informing me?" " Simply because the young lady declined to be bound to me." " I hardly like to say, ' Sensible girl,' till I hear the cause of her doing so," was the sarcastic reply. " She feared your disapproval," Manners answered sadly. " Had she occasion to? "Not that I know of; but she thought differently." " Could you not satisfy her as to settle ments, or what was it ? " " It was your disapproval she feared, as I have said," Manners remarked, with dignity. " May I ask what she said ? " " That she could not consent to enter any family into which her coming would not be perfectly acceptable."